Daylight saving time could soon become permanent. This is how it could impact Charlotte
A new bill approved by the Senate would make daylight saving time permanent in the U.S.
The Sunshine Protection Act would ensure Americans no longer have to change their clocks twice a year. If it is approved by the House and signed by President Joe Biden, the law would go into effect next year.
Advocates of the bill say the change would remove negative effects associated with the current daylight saving time structure, which can have a severe health impact.
If passed, the law would lead to much more sunlight during the evening in the Charlotte area. But there could be some downsides, too.
Has North Carolina passed a daylight saving time law?
North Carolina has not passed any laws to permanently switch to daylight saving time, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The N.C. House passed a bill last April adopting daylight saving time year-round, but the bill has not progressed through the Senate.
At least 18 states have passed such laws, but federal statutes must be changed to allow states to make the switch.
How would permanent daylight saving time impact Charlotte?
With the current system, there are 174 days each year when the sun rises before 7 a.m. in Charlotte and 270 days when the sun sets after 6 p.m.
If daylight saving time becomes permanent, there would be 152 days when the sun rises before 7 a.m. The sun would then set after 6 p.m. each day.
What are the drawbacks to permanent daylight saving time?
Although permanent daylight saving time could lead to safer roads, lower crime rates and economic benefits as bill author U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio suggested, later sunsets and earlier sunrises have potential drawbacks.
Experts say more dark mornings could lead to grogginess for commuters and parents who drive their children to school, especially in the winter months.
Other consequences of permanent daylight saving time include:
Disruptions to harvesting schedules for farmers
Interference with religious observances based on solar and lunar time
A potential delay in reworking computer systems programmed to switch twice a year
This story was originally published March 17, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
